


the sky will never look the same again

by stellarisms



Series: 2020 Writing Challenge [15]
Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: ...its less weird than it sounds i swear (it really is weird), Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Archangels, Attempt at Humor, Crush at First Sight, Elves, Hybrids, Merpeople, how park junhee met the love of his life in an abandoned hotel swimming pool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:54:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22384426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarisms/pseuds/stellarisms
Summary: It's the dead of night, Park Junhee is on a case, and what he finds on said case...is troubling.Scratch that - *he's* the one in trouble.In trouble that involves one naked not-quite mermaid, a five-letter word, and a mystery soon to be (easily) solved.
Relationships: Lee Donghun/Park Junhee | Jun
Series: 2020 Writing Challenge [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1588921
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	the sky will never look the same again

**Author's Note:**

> part of the "azimuth" universe, and - as previously discussed in a MX fic and several BTS fics related - will be explored fully in due time. 
> 
> AKA whenever i can get caught up on this daily fic challenge @____@;;; here's to hoping!!

On Park Junhee’s first case alone, he ends up in trouble.

Big trouble.

Junhee isn’t in trouble with the senior officers, no-- 

And not with **his** senior officer, thank Heaven.

He’s brand new to the Special Forces, so of course he’d be demoted right back to Inspector level again.

No, he’s not in trouble with them…

But Junhee is in big, big trouble.

* * *

Standing at the poolside edge, mid-autumn breeze whipping at his face, eyes locked with an Undine he had no idea would be here - **here** , of all places, in this abandoned hotel.

Wait…

Wait a minute.

Why was this guy even here in the first place?!

“Don’t move.” Demigod status and shiny new badge notwithstanding, Junhee is suspicious. An Undine alone, in water? One hand grips his flashlight tighter, while the other - behind his back - twitches with a forming Ignite spell. “I can see at least three things I can trigger to explode close by. Provided you can answer all of my questions, you can leave here unscathed.”

It’s a promise, not a threat.

Junhee is - outside of his work - unfailingly gentle.

In his senior officer Hyunwoo’s turn of phrase, Junhee is _softer than a pancake is flat._

While he’s in uniform, however...

“Pretty bold of you to assume I’m capable of moving, Officer.” The Undine doesn’t budge. “I’m totally defenseless here, ’sides. Waiting for my friend. He’s got my change of clothes.”

Junhee’s eyes go wide when his flashlight. Tilts.

As does his gaze, downward.

 _O-Oh my_ \--

“Y-You’re skinny dipping?!” Junhee wishes his hair were longer, if only to hide his pinkening ears. “In this weather!?”

“Uh.” Dammit, **dammit** , what is it about Undines that Junhee read about in his classes...right. They’re infamous for being...attractive. Attractive and persuasive. Maybe that’s why he finds that sad puppy-eyed look so heartrending. “Listen! I didn’t have a choice!”

“Why’s that?” Junhee tries not to get impatient. He can feel the energy charging up in his right palm; he’ll only need to stall the Undine for another minute longer.

“It’s a whole story, dude. We - my friend ’n I - we got into a brawl, my clothes got roasted by this Were-dragon punk, I had to heal-absorb in the nearest body of water I could find! It was a whole thing: Channie going ham at the bar with his new drinking buddy, somebody stepped on somebody’s toes, the Were-dragon thinking I was flirting with his boyfriend at the club, all because of two left feet and tails getting pulled, and then we had to run and hide on our own separately since we lost track of each other, ’cause his phone died, and I left mine at home...l-look, whatever you’re thinking right now, Mister, it’s not! What you think it is!”

Junhee feels a headache coming on.

Forget being thrown by this talkative Undine, who definitely _does_ look more drenched cat than actual threat.

Sure, those downturned green-flecked eyes _look_ innocent enough, but--

“Hold on, backtrack for me...what club--? Also, who in the world is a Channie--? W-wait, Junhee, you’re an idiot, that’s not the **_point_ **\--” Junhee is too tired, too impatient, and too nervous for this winding conversation. “Stop talking, Undine! Let me think! A-And d-don’t move if you know what’s good for you!”

His Ignite spell pulses at the end of his index finger, poised like a gun at the nearby vent the Undine is crouched beside.

The Undine, for his part, giggles.

Junhee felt like a teenager, with how fast his heart starts knocking around in his chest over the Undine’s appraising once-over.

How it ends in a **smirk**.

How the Undine seems to shimmer from head to toe - honey-gold hair, hazel eyes, silver scales raised in patches on gleaming tanned skin.

Half-Changed, and - perhaps - more Mortal than Junhee expected. 

Like something out of a comic book, like a slow-motion moment in a movie, the Undine lifts himself out of the water...

And, realization kicking in at Junhee’s strangled gulp, he lets out another airy laugh.

“Officer...Park Junhee, was it?” Junhee squeezes his eyes shut, because of course the Undine would know how to read just fine, further embarrassing him. “I’m Donghun. Lee Donghun. Born and raised here on this side of town, for reference. Oh, but I’m only half Undine on my mom’s side. Just for reference.”

“On your mom’s side,” croaks Junhee, because. His mouth’s gone dry. Donghun wasn’t kidding when he said he didn’t have any clothes on, because Junhee was getting quite the eyeful of...a very nice body, if Junhee was being honest. Not too muscular, or too skinny-- 

Wait--

“Y’see. My other half’s aaaaaaaaall Vampire, Officer.” Donghun leers, has the _nerve to lick his lips_. “If I had to venture a guess of what you are, though, I’d say...interested?”

Never, ever before have Junhee’s wings unfolded from their ‘hiding place’ beneath his open shirt flap.

He’s never ripped the back of his uniform (let alone _unintentionally_ ) with his wings bursting free as fervent as they did.

Just now, for the first time ever in twenty-five years, Junhee felt--

“Uh-ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.” A new, singsong voice emerges from the trees; Junhee snaps his focus toward the source of the sound. “Sounds like somebody’s crushing hard~ Or maybe two somebodies. I can see the headlines now: ‘Big Scandal In The NC Underground’! ‘Und-Pire And Archangel End Up Entangled In A Hotel Pool’!” 

“That’s my friend Yuchannie,” Donghun says. An explanation of sorts, like Junhee **asked**. “Always a smart remark on deck. Though, if you ask me, he’s about five cards short of a full deck.”

“Hey!” Yuchan leaps from the overhanging branch he was perched on, perfect landing in the lamplight letting Junhee take in his appearance - messy dark hair, lip ring, ice blue eyes (contacts? They look unnaturally bright to Junhee) unlike the rest of his boyish, Elvhen features. “Like you’re one to talk! Hyungie, should I have even bothered bringing clothes from the laundromat if you’re only gonna end up taking ’em off, anyway? Ya exhibitionist--!”

“An-y-way.” Donghun huffs, taking the dry clothes from Yuchan’s outstretched fist as his Changed form stretches and shrinks to cover up the scaled spots. “Junhee-ssi, if you’re investigating on the poltergeist that’s supposedly haunting this hotel, well. Look no further. You found him.”

“Yep!” Yuchan chirps, adjusting his charred jacket sleeves. “That’s us. The ghosts of NC Hotel. We’re kinda using this like our home base, ’til our landlord deals with this huuuuuuge bug infestation. Another ‘ghost’ lives with us, too, but if I know Kwangsuk-hyung...he’s still dancing away like we haven’t gone missin’ for a whole two hours.”

“No big deal,” Donghun shrugs. Like Junhee isn’t gawking at them both - Yuchan, who’s lugging a laundry bag behind him on his way through the sliding glass doors, and Donghun, who’s already slipped into briefs, too-loose joggers, and is currently pulling a black tee shirt over his head. “He knows where to find us, if all else fails.”

“Donghunnie-hyung!” Yuchan bellows from inside. “Tell your not-boyfriend he’s welcome to come inside to eat and stay if he wants! We’ve got plenty of rooms open and available!”

Donghun cackles.

“Okay, my not-boyfriend Junhee-ssi. Let’s sit down and talk about the rest of your mission inside?” Donghun links their arms together, fixing the panicked Junhee with a level stare. “I’m not a complete ass, so m’not letting you catch cold out here. You might as well...right?” 

Junhee, accepting the offer for what it was...sighs.

Sets off in a slow trot with Donghun pulling him inside their makeshift hotel home.

Like… 

How else was he supposed to answer? 

His focus - and mission - was long lost the moment Donghun told him his name.

* * *

(Junhee might be in trouble **now** , having caught feelings - of all things - for a shameless, strange, soft-spoken siren’s child.

But he doesn’t...feel like he’s landed himself in the fire.

More like a hot springs, where the water’s temperature makes him never want to leave.)

  
  



End file.
